ABSTRACT
The Indian Himalayan region (IHR) is of immense ecological and social significance. However, the region is experiencing several challenges due to deforestation, forest land diversion, natural calamities, and the reduction of ecosystem services. Nature-based solutions (NbS) such as forest protection and landscape restoration can rejuvenate the land, conserve biodiversity, ensure food security, and fulfil the critical needs of the inhabitants. Achieving these benefits requires knowledge and the capacity to develop inclusive landscape-level strategies and plans supported by reliable, accurate, and up-to-date data. This chapter presents insights from the Restoration Opportunities Atlas developed by the World Resources Institute India (WRI India) and an effective methodology for mapping shifting cultivation in Northeast India. The study findings highlight the potential of sustainable landscape management strategies in the IHR to contribute to India’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Climate Agreement and the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
